Lucid Dream
by SerpentBane007
Summary: From the edges of the solar system, a new Exsurgent threat has risen. Threatening the entirety of transhumanity regardless of proximity, all the while entirely out of reach, Firewall has dispatched a team to neutralize them. But what will they find in the stormy depths of Uranus? First time writing Eclipse Phase, so feedback and advice is welcome.
1. Prologue: X-threat

Disclaimer: I only own my characters and story, Eclipse Phase belongs to Posthuman Studios. So...I know that this section of fnet is mostly dead (or at least appears to be), but here I go. I have absolutely fallen in love with this game in recent months, but cannot find a group of players with the time or desire to play. Instead, I'll sate my creative desire by writing here. Enjoy and feel free to leave a review.

Rating: T (may change depending)

 **Vo Nguyen Station, Earth Orbit**

Marlo sighed as he rubbed his hands against his temple, barely paying attention to the heated discussions around him. Normally he would be in the thick of all of them, trying to serve as an intermediary between the bioconservatives and the reclaimers and steering the conversations from dangerous waters when need be. That was his job as a precautionist: ensure that technology was safe before disseminated throughout the population. But for a week now he couldn't muster the will to care about this. Not when his mind was under such strain.

He was pulled from his musings when a hand tapped his shoulder, stiffening momentarily at the sensation of cold metal. Marlo's head shot up, but he relaxed when he saw it was the face of Carolina. The AGI gestured her head towards the door, message clear. Politely excusing himself Marlo followed her out the door into the empty hallway.

"Tell me what's wrong Marlo." Carolina said in a firm, if synthesized, voice.

"How do you know something is wrong?" Marlo asked.

"I was built for interacting with and processing the emotional states of organic transhumans." She whispered, yellow photoreceptors darting around. Her status as an AGI was a closely guarded secret, her abilities as a negotiator and spokesperson caused most biocons to overlook the steel morph. But if they found out she was an AGI, the greatest sin in their minds, all their efforts would be for not.

"Fine." Marlo sighed. "I've had this splitting headache for a week now. But it's not any headache, it feels like my mind is being attacked by some rabid cat."

"I can't say I've heard that metaphor before." Carolina let out a small chuckle. "I have heard of similar symptoms after prolonged mesh use. But those usually develop after many years of uninterrupted time as an infomorph, and rarely this severe. Do you think its a defect in your current morph?" She asked.

"I don't think so." Marlo replied. "I've already resleeved into this," he gestured to his current splicer morph, "and sent my primary to NeoPlast Futuristics for a complete sweep, but they found nothing."

Carolina hummed, scratching her metal chin. It was amazing how many distinctly human gestures she had adopted. "Have you tried psychosurgery?" She asked.

"I generally steer clear of that kind of thing." Marlo paused for a moment, mouth twisted in a frown. "But I guess I'll take any answer at this point. Got any suggestions?"

"Try this one." She replied, handing him an anachronistic plastic business card. _Hai Tuan, MD_ was written in bright letters across the front, an address on the back in French and Vietnamese. "Best psychosurgeon I now. Real old school orangutan uplift, he should be able to figure out what's what with your ego." Her head cocked back towards the closed door, her enhanced hearing picking up a renewed round of shouting. "I'll go take care of them. I wish you good fortune." She bid Marlo farewell before quickly reentering the room.

"What would I do without you?" Marlo muttered as he took the elevator down into the streets of the station. The sheer multitude of people momentarily overwhelmed him as he trudged through the transhuman swarms. Consulting his mesh map he located the address and made a beeline towards the tram station to the lower levels.

He didn't make it far before he felt the pressure on his mind increase tenfold, forcing him to his knees with a pained groan. His vision blurred and exploded into stars, forming strange nightmarish images as he screamed in pain. His mind felt like it was being torn apart by red hot hooks. His vision continued to swim before a coherent image came to the foreground.

A blue gas giant came into view. Large metallic objects emerged from the surface, writhing as they extended out impossibly far. Their immense bulk wrapped around ships, stations, and planets, crushing them with the jaws that lined their length. Five yellow eyes emerged, a sickening laugh erupting as Marlo screamed as his mind was finally torn.

 **Conversation between Firewall commander and async experts, section 4-5TU2:**

Ruqinzhe: I assume you all got the report from Vo Nguyen by now.

Degar Watts: Yes. Fourth such report we've received. First a high ranking biocon, then two forks of some mercurial activist, now a precautionist negotiator.

Arak: I don't see the connection.

Degar Watts: Think of what they all represent: opposition to unity.

.Hell: Let's not forget the real reason we're even discussing this: what we could recover of their stacks indicated traces of the Exsurgent virus.

Arak: But none were known asyncs, nor showed the usual symptoms associated with recent infection.

.Hell: Does it matter? They were infected, and they paid the price. Nothing more to discuss.

Ruqinzhe: Ah, but the recovery team was able to retrieve an uncorrupted part of the cortical stack of our latest victim.

Degar Watts: I'm guessing we interrogated it?

Ruqinzhe: There was barely enough of his ego left to stuff into a Freeman, but what we found represents a grave concern to transhumanity.

.Hell: Exsurgents?

Ruqinzhe: Not any old exsurgent. Whoever or whatever this was, they've devised a way to transport a modified, incredibly lethal version of the virus through the mesh.

.Hell: Bullshit.

Arak: For once I agree with Scent. That isn't possible.

Ruqinzhe: It doesn't matter what we think, it's clearly possible.

Degar Watts: Do we have any leads on this?

Ruqinzhe: Thankfully yes. From the small amount of it we recovered from the precautionist's stack, we can conclude that the data package containing it originated somewhere within Uranus.

Arak: You mean inside the atmosphere?

Ruqinzhe: Yes.

Arak: Damn, they really want to avoid detection. Who do you think we should send on this op?

.Hell: Definitely DR4KE. Best damn hacker we have.

Arak: We also have an agent currently in Uranus orbit. Haseo Julianas.

.Hell: The ex-Jovian?

Arak: The one. He's got a good relationship with the skimmers and can guide a team through storms in need be.

Ruqinzhe: Any other suggestions? Remember that we'd also need someone for DR4KE to ghostride in, given his...predilection for digital life.

.Hell: I'll never understand those types.

Degar Watts: I'd like to volunteer Prisca Sylvi. Best jack of all trades agent, she'll be able to deal with the unexpected better than the others. And she can host DR4KE.

Ruqinzhe: Then it's decided. I'll contact DR4KE and Haseo, Degar will contact Prisca.

.Hell: Three is an awfully small team for this kind of op.

Degar Watts: I'll inform Prisca that she can hire another individual if she sees fit, she's always had good taste in mercs.

.Hell: Operational security much?

Degar Watts: She can keep a lid on the sensitive info.

Ruqinzhe: Besides, what was it you said to Callosum? Something about doing what's necessary?

.Hell: I hate you.

Arak: Back to the topic at hand, I trust Prisca, and that smart hyena of hers should come in handy. Damn thing is practically a team member on her ops, must've had some extensive aftermarket modifications.


	2. Chapter 1: The Sylvis

Disclaimer: I only own my characters and story, Eclipse Phase belongs to Posthuman Studios. Here is the second entry in this story, and I hope that I can start writing this story a little faster (since I actually a hard copy of the plot outline for once). Enjoy and feel free to leave a review.

Rating: T (may change depending)

 **Pallas, Main Asteroid Belt**

As her alarm went off Prisca considered that she would have preferred it outside her own head, like one of the ancient pre-Fall clocks. She couldn't even get the satisfaction of slapping the snooze button and getting an extra few minutes of sleep. She began to open eyes, only to feel a heavy weight land on her chest, pushing the air out of her lungs as a wet tongue assaulted her face.

"Wake up wake up wake up!" A vaguely human voice yelled as Prisca's purple eyes finally shot open. She was greeted with a large hyena perched on her chest, enlarged canine teeth barely visible, with red brown fur and bright green eyes.

"Jesus sis I'm up!" Prisca shouted as she pushed the hyena off of her, wiping the saliva off of her face. "Did you really have to do that?"

"Of course!" Her sister replied. "If I'm in this body I might as well make the most of it." She called as she ran to the door, opening it with the retractable digits on her mechanical tail.

"Just cause you're using a critter pod to blend in doesn't mean you have to act like one Kass." Prisca deadpanned as she threw some loose clothes on before following her sister into the second and main room of their small apartment.

"I know that," Kass said as she began eating the food that the servitor bot, little more than a large, levitating purple orb, produced for them. "But it's still fun. Bones really did a good job on this morph, feels like I was always a quadruped." Kass paused in her eating for a moment, a look of sadness in her eyes, before she shook her head and resumed her behavior.

Prisca's expression softened, her free hand sneaking down to rub behind her sister's ears as she began eating her own food. " _Prisca, you have an incoming call._ " Prisca's muse Jameson said, his South African accent echoing through her mind.

" _Who's it from?_ " Prisca asked.

" _A Degar Watts, he says that the matter is urgent._ "

"Firewall _._ " Kass spat. "What do they want this time?"

"I'll find out. You know the drill." Prisca's said as she went to the terminal and started the signal receptor.

" _Yeah yeah. Listen but don't speak. Act like a smart pet_." Kass drawled over their mental link. Prisca smiled as she sat in the nearby chair, syncing her mesh inserts with the terminal.

"Initialize private chat room." Prisca said as she closed her eyes. As her mind raced into simulspace she felt as if she were sucked out an airlock before grinding to a halt. Shaking off the dizziness Prisca opened her eyes to see a spotless white simulroom, her own avatar distorted around its edges. Before stood a well dressed menton morph, head slightly enlarged and leaning on an ornate bronze cane.

"Prisca, it's been some time." Degar Watts spoke with a bow.

"Get to the point Degar. What's my mission?" Prisca asked, she hated posh hyperelite that Degar hailed from.

"It is a pity that you will not set aside suck preconceived notion." Degar frowned. "We are both working for the betterment of all transhumans."

"Ask me to do that once your people stop fucking over mine. The only ones worse than you are those neo-fascist Jovians." She saw the man began to open his mouth. "But I know none of you hyperelites would understand what it means to survive in this system. So just get to the assignment already." Prisca hissed, her slitted pupils contracting even more.

"Fine." Degar sighed. "We've received information of an Exsurgent threat from Uranus."

"What kind of Exsurgent?" Prisca asked, her previous anger replaced with worry.

"We are not sure of their full abilities, but this individual or group of individuals have been able to infect individuals with a modified version of the Watts-MacLeod virus through the mesh."

"That's impossible!" Prisca exclaimed. "How can a biological virus be transmitted digitally?!"

"That's what we thought, but here we are with four deaths, so we must act." Degar replied.

"Fine. Who were the targets?" Prisca asked.

"Two forks of an AGI mercurial, a bioconservative leader from Luna, and most recently a precautionist mediator from Earth orbit. So far we can't find a connection between their targets."

"So you're sending me to go end them before they target anyone truly important?" Prisca scoffed.

"...to put it bluntly yes, that is my goal. You will make your way to Uranus orbit by whatever means you deem necessary. Their you will meet up with a local agent, by the name of Haseo Julianus, who will lead the expedition into the atmosphere." Degar explained.

"Who else is on the mission?"

"You have the choice to recruit one other member as you see fit. You may tell them as much or as little as you deem necessary."

Prisca sneered. "Really? Trusting such sensitive information to anyone a lowly belter like me wants to?"

"Considering the gravity of the threat, yes. However," the hyperelite paused, pushing his glasses up, "you will also be accompanied by a hacker, one of the best. His name is DR4KE, and he will be ghostiriding with you."

"WHAT?!" Prisca yelled. "Fuck no! That is-"

"He's an infomorph, and refuses to use a body. And you have the experience with ghostrider modules. So yes, you will 'carry' him." Degar deadpanned.

"Fine." Prisca spat. "Anything else?"

"Yes, we will be funding the use of a skimmer vessel once you arrive on Uranus."

"What's the catch?" Prisca asked. With Firewall operators there is always a catch.

"We will not be covering the full cost of ego casting or morph acquisition. Our resources are stretched thin at the moment." Degar explained, a twinge of regret in his voice.

"Oh for f-" Prisca began before stopping herself, taking several deep breaths. "Fine, we'll make do. Goodbye."

"Best of luck on this hunt Ms. Sylvi." Degar dipped his head. "End simulation."

" _So, what did you learn?_ " Kass asked once Prisca had returned to the material world.

" _A lot, none of it good_." Prisca said, walking back to her room and grabbing her weapons and armored clothing. " _I'll tell you all about it on the way to Bones' shop_."


	3. Chapter 2: The Night

Disclaimer: I only own my characters and story, Eclipse Phase belongs to Posthuman Studios. Here is the third entry in this story, and I will probably be churning these out whenever I have time between my other stories. Enjoy and feel free to leave a review.

Rating: T (may change depending)

 **Pallas, Main Asteroid Belt**

" _You're fucking kidding me!_ " Kass yelled as the pair walked through the main area of Pallas.

" _I wish I was_." Prisca said, weaving through the crowded street. With the exotic morph habits of her fellow belters, plus the outlandish morphs of the scum from the visiting swarm, her Exalt sleeve, with its slitted purple eyes, shimmering white hair and ever-shifting tattoos, appeared tame by comparison. " _It was hard enough hosting you for those couple of years, and you're my sister. I don't know how I'll deal with this DR4KE._ "

" _Hopefully this will be a quick in and out mission._ " Kass commented as they turned towards a series of dark alleyways covered with the insignia of the Night Cartel.

" _Unlikely, they won't even cover the cost of new morphs for everyone. It'll make egocasting there a bitch, hopefully our teammates have plenty of cred and rep to burn._ " Prisca said, her anger at Degar rising again.

Kass was about to respond before she stiffened for a second and nudged her sister. " _Up ahead, three of them coming for us._ " No sooner had she said it than three individuals stepped out of the shadows, blocking their path.

"Well well well," the lead one rasped, "what do we have here?" They wore dirty and matted clothes, two standard splicers with a large bruiser towering above them. They also each had a tattoo emblazoned across their right cheeks, an orange bird skull.

"I don't want any trouble." Prisca said. She really didn't need this right now.

"Well that's just too bad then." The man laughed. "Cause you're in Craven's territory now, and he demands his tribute." He gestured to the tattoo on his cheek.

"Really?" Prisca quirked her eyebrow up. "Cause last I remember the Night Cartel doesn't take kindly to competition."

"Think you're clever bitch?" The bruiser growled, metal spikes popping out of his knuckles.

"Did you hear that? They want to play." Prisca cooed to Kass, who let out a distinctive hyena laugh as her mechanical tail raised. "Sick em." Her voice dropped to a growl.

The bruiser's face was a mask of confusion, which quickly contorted into extreme pain as a laser bolt blasted from the end of Kass' tail, tearing through the side of his throat. Taking advantage of the confusion Prisca let her flex cutter fall out of her wrist. The flexible polymer blade quickly stiffened into a machete as she opened the first splicer's throat. He fell to the dirty floor clutching his threat as his companion lunged towards her with a baton.

Prisca blocked his wild swing and thrust towards his chest. Sidestepping her blow the man launched a new blow at her head, which she barely blocked. However, her guard slipped and the man landed a solid blow on her head, knocking her back and causing her vision to swim. As he prepared to attack again he let out a howl of anguish as Kass sank her teeth into his leg. He fell to the ground, legs seizing as Kass' neurotoxin took effect.

"Better late than never." Prisca growled as she shook her head, checking the bruiser. His stack had been completely blown out by her sister's laser, but both splicers were still clinging to life. Sighing she unholstered her rail pistol and took aim at the man who's throat she had opened. The weapon whirled for a second before it reduced his head to meaty chunks.

"P-p-please!" The remaining assailant begged as Prisca turned to him. "I won't t-tell anyone. What do you want? Cred? My sleeve?!" His eyes darted at an astonishing speed as the barrel of Prisca's gun lowered to him and Kass' neurotoxin continued through his body.

"Sorry." Prisca deapanned. "But idiots don't love long in the Belt." Her gun whirled again. _Crack!_

" _Did you have to permakill that one?_ " Prisca asked, jerking her head to the bruiser as she dug into the neck of the body in front of her.

" _I thought it would be the fastest way to deal with em. And what are you doing with his stack_?" Kass replied as Prisca pocketed the small device that held the unfortunate's mind.

" _Because_ ," Prisca began as knelt behind the second body, " _Night pays well for stacks. Especially if they're the stacks of people encroaching on their terf_." She finished as she pocketed the second stack.

" _I can't believe you would deal with those slave traders._ " Kass muttered as she followed her sister through more winding alleyways.

" _I hate it too. But we have to deal with them, they own most of this asteroid. And the rep will protect us later if they get any ideas._ " Prisca explained, only to be met with uneasy acceptance through the mental link. After about ten minutes of walking she found a Night Cartel lakey smoking a cigarette outside a nondescript block. "I need to speak with Maga." She said.

"Why should I let you through?" He barked, stomping out his cigarette.

"Tell him that P is here to see him, and that I have some information he'd like to see." Prisca growled. With a quirked eyebrow the man disappeared inside for several moments before a loud cracking sound followed by a scream of pain echoed from inside and the man practically collapsed through the door, clutching his broken arm.

"He-h-he said he'll speak with you now." He stuttered out before running towards a nearby sleeve repair clinic. Kass let out a light chuckle as they entered, passing by many Cartel members fabricating weapons and various drugs before entering a large office. There, flanked by two furies wielding assault rifles sat a large four armed synthmorph.

"What do you have for me today?" His metallic voice rasped, four armed crossed across his chest as he slowly walked towards them.

"I ran into a couple of Craven's thugs about ten minutes from here, near the transport tube to Wits. I had to permakill one of them but recovered the stacks for the other two." Prisca explained, holding the two bloody devices between her fingers.

"Craven?" Maga seemed to freeze for a moment, before shaking. "CRAVEN?!" Maga yelled at one of the furies. "What the hell were they doing there?!"

"Sir I-I don't kn-kn-know, I-"

"They had delusions that it was their territory, and that Night couldn't hold it." Prisca cut in tossed the stacks to Maga, who caught one in each hand.

"Charry," the criminal barked, "get these down to interrogation. Find out where we fucked up and report straight back to me. If upper leadership hears a word of this I can guarantee that you'll be in one of our work camps on Mercury within the week." The guard fearfully nodded before hurrying out a back door with the stacks. "It seems that you just saved me a great deal of trouble Ms. Sylvi. Thanks are in order."

"Just doing my part to keep this asteroid stable." Prisca cocked her head, rubbing her chin as if in deep thought. "But I could use some credits, and considering I did deliver the guilty to you directly it would probably be a sizable."

The synth laughed, and Prisca had to repress a wince as the grating sound assaulted her ears. "Of course. Standard reward is 200 credits per recovered stack, 400 per final death." A miniature computer popped out of his lower right arm, and he quickly began typing away with an upper arm. "But since I like you, I'll give you a lump sum of 1000." He finished.

" _Credits transferred_." Jameson informed her.

"Thanks." Prisca said.

"I hope you come again." Maga laughed as the doors closed behind her.

" _Hopefully I'll never have to._ " She thought as she walked out of the building and continued on her original mission towards Bones' clinic.


	4. Chapter 3: Bones

Disclaimer: I only own my characters and story, Eclipse Phase belongs to Posthuman Studios. So yeah, it's been quite a while, but with the sudden success of my other story 3 Ripples I've neglected this one. So, updates will be coming but much more infrequently that before, sorry for that. Anyways, enjoy and feel free to leave a review.

Rating: T (may change depending)

 **Pallas, Main Asteroid Belt**

Bones ran some final diagnostics on his computers, making sure his client's vitals were stable. Seeing that they were he turned to his assistant, a young neo-Neanderthal. "Pull her out."

"Yeah yeah." He drawled, yawning as he ended the simulspace simulation. "I'll be upstairs, it's my break." Bones rolled his eyes as his assistant ran upstairs to his quarters as Bones redirected his attention to the awakening customer.

"You back with us Diana?" He asked as she sat up, flexing the arms of her heavily modified bouncer, it's animal and robotic features clashing in a way only a scum would consider possible.

"Sure am doc." She laughed.

"How do you like the new tail and hands? Any problems?" He asked.

"All seems good." She swished her new prehensile tail, grabbing the edge of the table with it a few times. "Guess Tevin wasn't lying about you." She flexed her robotic hands, fingers splitting apart as access jacks and tools popped out. "Best genehacker this side of the Belt."

"Tevin flatters me, I'm competent at best." Bones said humbly, nodding his head as Diana stood, testing her balance. "But tell me, why didn't you get this work done on the swarm? It's probably overflowing with my type."

"There ain't exactly any with that type of sleeve." She laughed, gesturing to his soldier pod. "But I wanted a professional, and you're one of the best who'll accept us." She reached into her pocket, fumbling for credits.

"Please," Bones grabbed her wrist, pulling it away gently, "no need for that. We're both scum here."

"But I know this rock uses cred. You'll need it for-"

"I'm perfectly capable, been around here a long time. Rep will be fine." He smiled, as much as his metal jaws would allow him to. It, plus his flaming orange hair and translucent skin along his arms, in place of the sleeve's normally charcoal coloring, exposing his reinforced bones, put off most people from the inner system. But by scum standards, the crude joining of flesh and cold metal, would be considered restrained.

"Fine then." Diana laughed once more. "I best be getting back to the swarm, we leave tomorrow. Maybe I'll see you around next time we pass by." She blew him a kiss as she exited the body-shop. Bones simply chuckled, walking back to the fabricators and refilling them with the necessary raw materials. The electronic bell of the shop chimed, indicating someone had entered.

"Sorry we're closed for a bit, gotta…" the sentence died as his face broke into a wide grin, for standing there in the doorway was Prisca and her sister Kass. "Well well well, look what scavenging teams dragged back."

"You ain't exactly much to look at either are ya?" Prisca joked as the two embraced. "It's been a while Bones."

"Yes, it's good to see you again." A whine got his attention as the transgenic hyena tried to get his attention, bumping into his leg. "And you two Kass." He said slightly quieter.

" _Hey Bones! I've missed you!"_ Kass said as Bones' muse queed into her mental frequency. " _She doesn't let me go anywhere fun._ "

"Hush now sis." Prisca chided as she flicked the hyena's ear, who snapped in return.

"Now," Bones interrupted, "I doubt this is a purely social visit. What do you need? New implants? Current ones acting up? Body sculpting?"

"No, what we need is your help. THAT kind of help." Prisca gestured to the large seeker rifle hanging from the wall. Bones' demeanor turned more serious.

"I'm listening."

"Well, strictly speaking I'm not supposed to tell you this but fuck it." Prisca said. "I'm a part of a secret organization called Firewall, dedicated to protecting transhumanity from exsurgent threats like the TITANs, from inside and outside Sol."

Bones whistled. "Didn't know I had two secret agents under my nose this whole time." Prisca smacked his arm. "But in all seriousness, given all the strange happenings I've heard happen since the Fall I've always assumed something like that existed. Seems my hunch was right."

"Quite." Prisca replied. "I've been given the ability to hire outside other agents, so that's why I need you."

"What's the job?" Bones asked.

"We need to get to Uranus, there's an exsurgent hiding out there whose been infecting people with Watts-Macleod through the mesh."

"Shit." Bones rubbed his forehead. "I've seen some crazy shit in my day, but infecting people digitally? My mind is running a Light year a second trying to figure out how that'd work."

"How doesn't matter, we've just been told to get in there and take him out."

"Whose we?" Bones asked. "I assume they'll be at least one other agent of this 'Firewall' with us?"

"Yeah, some guy named Haseo Julianus, he lives out on Oberon."

"Then let's cast out there now, I got the equipment here now." Bones offered, booting up the necessary machines.

" _There's a catch_." Kass stopped him. " _They won't cover resleeving costs, and with me_ ," she gestured with her mechanical tail to her sleeve, " _that may be difficult_."

"Those fuckers." Bones muttered.

" _That's what I said!_ " Kass exclaimed.

"Plus, one agent, some infomorph names DR4KE, is gonna go bodyless, so I'll have to let him ghostride with me." Prisca said. "This whole situation is kinda shot."

Bones' eyes lit up with an idea. "Maybe not. You know that scum swarm that's docked?" Seeing Prisca nod he continued. "Well, I know the person who controls where they go and when, nice woman named Tevin. She owe me a huge favor, drop my name and she should be able to redirect the swarm to Uranus."

"Really? You have that kind of pull with a swarm?" Prisca asked incredulously.

"Listen kid, I've been scum from the very beginning, you make some connections along the way." Bones smirked. "Anyways, how will I know who to contact?"

" _Wait, you aren't coming with us_?" Kass asked.

"Well, this threat is clearly urgent, and it'll take the swarm nearly two months to get to Uranus. So, I'll cast ahead, meet up with this Julianus fellow, and get us set up with gear and a suitable morph for myself." Bones explained, receiving two nods in return. "Well then, I'll grab my assistant. He'll set up the capture for the ghostrider while I cast out. John!" Bones yelled upwards, to no immediate response.

"Whose John?" Prisca asked.

"My protege. He's been helping me out with the shop." Bones said. "Though he's a tad lazy. John Oldeman! Get your prehistoric ass down here now!"

"What the hell do you want?!" Said Neo-Neanderthal yelled back. "I'm on break!"

"Breaks canceled. Last warning." Bones heard a series of grumbles and choice curses in response as John came down.

"Who is she?" He asked, gesturing to Prisca.

"Old friend of mine. But I need to make a trip out for a while, you'll be running the shop till I get back." Bones explained.

"WHAT?" John yelled. "For how long?"

"About two months, give it take." Bones deadpanned.

"TWO MONTHS?! How the hell am I going to run this place for that long?"

"The same way you have been since you agreed to work under me. Follow the three rules."

"Yeah yeah." John muttered. "Always be accommodating, never charge creds unless you're offered them, and don't disrespect any Night members. I got it."

"Good. Now, hook me and Prisca up. She'll be getting a ghostrider, and I need to cast out to Chat Noir on Uranus."

"Fine." John went yanked forward two cushioned chairs and quickly began inputting the needed information into twin monitors. "Don't know what the hell you need to do in that backwater but whatever."

"Alright, I'll be going now. Talk to Tevin, she'll hook you up with what you need." He said to Prisca as he sat down in the leftmost chair, the exalt taking a seat in the right one.

"Good hunting." Prisca said with a smile as her eyes rolled up into her sockets, her mind entering simulspace as her ghostrider module was prepared for her passenger and said passenger was contacted. Bones felt his own vision shrink and collapse into a single point. He became weightless as he left his body and entered the mesh.

 **Chat Noir, Oberon, Moon of Uranus.**

After several hours of haggling Bones managed to secure himself a cheap synth morph for now, though he was sure to insist that a hand laser be implanted and some additional armor added. Decades of conflict had taught him to always be prepared for a new environment. Prisca's muse had pinged him and let him know that Haseo was expecting him outside the main shipping port.

Flexing his robotic arms as he walked Bones took in the sights of the dome habitat. It's ice tunnels were a marvel to behold, especially with the gaggle of exotic and highly optimized morphs using the decreased gravity to walk along the ceiling and walls of the warrens. Quickly finding himself outside the spaceport he squeezed past a group of heavily armed mercenaries, looking around for his contact.

"You Bones?" A voice asked, by he couldn't see where at first. "Down here mate." Bones looked down and saw an opteryx waving one of its wings arms at him. The 1.7 meter tall synth quickly jumped onto one of the walls, running along it before skidding to a stop beside him.

"I assume your Haseo Julianus?" Bones asked.

"The one and only Jovian pilot extraordinar, that's me." He said flamboyantly, Boeing his head as his tail extends towards Bones, offering a crude handshake which he accepted. "Sorry, ain't exactly the most social morph. Now, let me get you back to my home so we can set up."

"That sounds great to me." Bones said as Haseo lead the way through the winding warrens.

"When are the rest of the team showing up?" Haseo asked.

"They'll be here in two months, Prisca and DR4KE are coming by scum swarm." Bones replied.

"Wait, by swarm?" The opertyx's head cocked to the side. "Why?"

"Prisca lives on the same rock I do. Pallas, nice place in the Belt. Unlike me though, she doesn't have the most cred to spare, and the operators aren't shelling out for sleeping costs."

"Typical." Haseo sighed. "They'll splurge on big things like a skimmer but not for simple things. I assume that's why you're here now?" He asked as they skirted the edge of an immensely large canyon. A few rocks crunched underneath Bones' robotic foot as he stepped, falling deep into the mist that obscured the bottom of the canyon.

"How far down does that go?" He asked.

"Incredibly far. You should try flying down there sometime, the rush is like nothing else." Haseo replied. "But you didn't answer my question."

"Yes, that is why." Bones replied. "I'll be here testing the waters with you, earning some rep and cred and getting some good gear and better morph than this thing." He gestured to his hastily acquired synth.

"Fair enough. Aaaand we're here." Haseo said as he came to a stop, gesturing towards the deep cavern."

"There nothing here mate." Bones said. In response his companion simply grinned and dived off the the edge, speeding towards the ground. After plummeting rather far he spread his wings and slowed himself, small thrusters also stabilizing him.

"Down here." He said as he sailed on a wind towards a hole in the side of the canyon, gesturing with his tail towards a previously hidden rope down as he disappeared inside it. Shaking his head Bones gripped the rope and began his descent, hoping that the rope held. And that the fall wouldn't obliterate his stack.

Finally Bones made it to the hole in the canyon wall and stepped inside. He was surprised to find that the cave opened to a rather spacious living area, with several rooms branching off into various rooms. "Damn, I'm impressed you can have this much space."

"Well, the hab covers this section of the canyon, so atmosphere and pressure aren't a worry." Haseo said as he reentered the main room, carrying a tablet which he handed to Bones. "Plus, we aren't lacking for space out here, and if you pull your weight and chip in with the right people your rep can do wonders."

"Well then," Bones smiled as he took the tablet, "this place is right up my alley. Let's get to work."


	5. Important Poll Update

To begin, sorry to each of you that this isn't a proper update for these stories (this is posted to all of my main stories), but I have a question to you all: I've considered setting up a server for all of you, o readers mine. I know it seems odd, but after many good experiences in r/fanfiction and Small Fandom FF Authors (check out both btw), I've warmed to the idea of a little spot to interact with you all more closely. Get more feedback, hear your ideas, and just generally interact with you in a more casual way. To that end, I've made a poll on my profile. Please, vote in that or PM me so I can judge how much interest there is here.

Anyways, see all of you when each respective story is updated. Until then, have a wonderful time, o readers mine.


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